


Blue All Over

by Finding_Fate



Series: The Sweetest Trip etc... [3]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Background Amberfield, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Femslash, Fluff and Angst, Underage Drinking, chaseprice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-20 14:36:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14263161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finding_Fate/pseuds/Finding_Fate
Summary: Chloe and Victoria build an unconventional relationship. It's not easy figuring each other out, but maybe it's what they both need.





	1. Not Driving Home Tonight

A bright spark flashed from the wheel of Chloe’s shiny new Zippo, lighting the flame that brought her cigarette to life. She pulled a deep breath through its filter and let the satisfying burn fill her lungs. Chloe leaned back into her truck’s gas tank, and watched her two best friends trot off towards the Blackwell dorms, hand in hand, to do… whatever it is that horny teens infatuated with each other do when they’re alone.

It had to be serious. Rachel was skipping a Vortex Club party just to ‘chill’ with Max, as she put it. She could have anyone she wanted in the whole damn school, and she picked the one other person Chloe spent most of her time with. Not that Chloe was bitter about it, but her fear of spending too much time alone with her thoughts was starting to feel a bit more justifiable.

Chloe took one long final drag off her cigarette, then dropped it to the pavement and squashed its glow under her boot. She needed all the extra nicotine she could handle if she was going to willfully wade into the lion’s den without Rachel, the party queen, at her side.

The Vortex Club might have been full of spoiled brats and entitled drama whores, but even Chloe was quick to admit they knew how to throw memorable parties. She shoved her way through a crowd of clearly underaged beer drinking teenagers, and marched into the pool area, completely ignoring the girl at the check-in desk trying to wave her down.

Colorful lights flashed while a DJ played some loud electro godzilla bass crap. A guy with a giant bong in his hand flew by on a skateboard, nearly barreling straight into Chloe.

“Watch it!” She shouted.

In the distance, a drunk girl in a bikini stumbled into some football bro twice her size, and nearly dropped the bottle of whisky in her hand.

“Holy shit. How do they get away with all this?”

“It’s all Nathan,” said a pleasant girlish voice at Chloe’s side.

“Hey Dana,” Chloe said, accepting Dana’s left-arm-only hug, as she held a drink with the right.

“He’s… a bit much sometimes. But you gotta admit, having a Prescott around has it’s advantages.”

“I guess… but this shit’s hella crazy. Even by Vortex Club standards.”

“This is nothing. Wait until the music gets loud!”

“You mean it’s not?”

Dana smiled and gave Chloe a friendly pat on the arm. “So, where’s your posse at?”

“They decided to skip this one.”

“Even Rachel?! Is she… feeling okay?”

“Oh yeah. I’m sure she’s feeling _great_ right about now,” Chloe chuckled at her own inside joke to herself.

“Whatever _that_ means,” Dana said, “Anyway, have fun, Chloe. I’ll be around if you wanna hang.”

Chloe drifted through the party, chatting up a few familiar faces. Even dancing a little when a song played that wasn’t _complete_ garbage. About the third or fourth time someone asked where Rachel was, Chloe decided to turn it into her own personal drinking game, which after the fourth shot of tequila in only a few minutes, she decided to quit a little early.

_I guess I’m not driving home tonight._

The night played on, and Chloe started to feel genuinely sorry that Max and Rachel were missing the fun. She’d drank a little more, and taken a bong rip with Justin in the bathroom, then watched Trevor tear down the curtain separating the regular partiers and the VIP area. “LET MY PEOPLE GO!” He’d shouted, before somersaulting into the pool fully clothed.

Dana was right about the music. The louder it got, the more the crowd seemed to give in to the chaos. Dana grabbed Chloe from out of nowhere, and dragged her into the thick of the insanity. Both girls losing themselves and jumping to the beat of the DJ’s own horrible dance remix of ‘Drop it Like it’s Hot’.

As the room started to spin and wobble and throw her off balance, Chloe took a respite at the bar, leaning back into her elbows and drunkenly admiring Juliet’s well formed… everything… from a far.

“FFFFucking…. Fuucking.. CChloee?!” Victoria enthused, staggering into Chloe’s blurry field of view, and wrapping her arms around the punk’s neck in the biggest hug she could muster.

She was a mess. Her supremely expensive sweater was stretched and crooked. Her makeup was all smeared. Her normally perfect pixie cut couldn’t be more out of place if she’d just rolled out of bed.

“Ummmm… I missed you too?” Chloe finally managed.

Victoria released her hold, and grabbed Chloe’s cheeks with the excitement of a four year old, then took in a slow, deep gasp and asked, “YYou meean it?!”

_She’s totally smashed. No way she’ll remember this._

“Sure, Vicky,” Chloe responded half-heartedly, pulling the prep’s hands from her face.

“I’m ssssorry… Chloy…” she said, burying her face into Chloe’s chest.

“For staining my shirt with makeup?”

“Noo shilly…. forr... fur mmeee...”

She might have been a little faded, but Chloe still had enough of her mind that the constant contact started to make her feel responsible for the girl. “OOkay. Come on, let’s go find Taylor…”

“Noo…” Victoria pulled away. “I donn’t wanna werr a mask. I-- don’t. I wannna be ffree, lllike…. youu Chloy. N-NNo maasks…”

The more Victoria spoke in her current state, the more Chloe felt like a peeping-tom, spying on something that wasn’t meant for her.

“Shiit,” Chloe sighed. “If I’m gonna babysit…” she reached behind the bar and grabbed an unguarded, unopened bottle of whisky she’d been eying…

 

__________

 

A blistering harsh ring in her ears and sharp throb in her head pulled Chloe into consciousness. Either she drank _way_ too much, or a pro boxer just used her head as a speed bag. The pain behind her eyes was leaning her towards the latter.

“Uuuuunnngg…” Chloe whined while the hard floor underneath her sent a dull ache through her back. She found her left leg propped up on a couch, trapped between Juliet’s unconscious knees. The taste and feel of strawberry gloss she certainly wasn’t wearing, coated her lips. Her pants were unbuttoned, and Juliet’s hand rested on her stomach.

_Fuck. At least ‘drunk me’ has good taste._

Realization froze Chloe’s chest.

_Victoria!_

Chloe sped stumbling to her feet, stepping over bodies and bottles, trying her hardest to ignore the blood rushing to her head in search of Victoria. They’d never been all that friendly with one another, or at all really, but leaving Victoria to fend for herself in such an intensely drunken stupor, felt like breaking some kind of unspoken girl code.

She didn’t have to look far though. Victoria was on her knees a few feet away, vomiting into a trash can.

“Damn, Vicky,” Chloe said.

“Eat dicks, bitch. Uughk…”

“Woah… down girl. I come in peace. Can I… get you something?”

Victoria let loose a particularly heavy heave into the can.

“Uck…” Chloe turned her head in disgust. “Some mouthwash maybe?”

“I know you’re… ugh… being sarcastic,” Victoria gulped. “But I have some in my b-- bag. Could you-- get it? Next to… whoever that is-- on the couch,” she pointed.

“Right. Fetch quests are my specialty,” Chloe joked, earning a look of ire, or maybe just pain, from the hungover posh princess. “Here,” she said, sitting the bag next to Victoria.

Looking back, Chloe noticed the sleeping Juliet’s skirt riding up a little higher than she’d probably like. Chloe grabbed a loose leather jacket, likely Dana’s, and covered the girl’s bottom half.

“That’s thoughtful,” said Victoria.

“Don’t want the jockstraps getting any ideas.”

“She’s not worth it,” Victoria catted, taking a swig from a small bottle of mouthwash.

Chloe gave a breathy chuckle, and shook her head. “Do those claws ever retract?”

Victoria just stared at Chloe, while she swished the liquid around her mouth. Then spit it into the trash can and said, “Whatever.”

It could have been the hangover, but Chloe would swear that was dejection on Victoria’s face. Like she’d hoped to impress Chloe by throwing around insults.

Victoria wobbled to her feet, and smoothed out her clothes best she could. “I know you hate me, but…”

“Vicky, hating you would take more energy than I’m willing to give.”

“Right. Well...just...thanks. For… not kicking a girl when she’s down. Even if I… probably deserve it somehow. Even after I told you…”

“‘Eat dicks, bitch’?”

The normally devious diva chuckled and nodded her head. Chloe couldn't remember seeing a smile from Victoria that wasn't laced with snobbery and venom, but this one seemed genuine. There wasn't anyone conscious around who she felt the need to impress, Chloe figured. But maybe there was a worthwhile human being in there somewhere.

“Do you mind…” Victoria started, “...walking with me to the dorms?” She couldn't look Chloe in the eyes when she asked. Instead, she furrowed her brow and stared at the floor like she asked Chloe to rob a bank.

“I mean... I'm going there anyway. So, sure.”

“It's just that I called _and_ texted T and Courtney and they didn't respond and I'm still really light headed and I don't want to fall over and smash my face…” she rambled, all in one breath.

“Hey, woah… chill out. I said 'okay’ already.”

Victoria gave one of those uncertain frowny smiles you give when you think you might be doing something wrong. The two made it about halfway there before Victoria decided to break the silence. “I didn't... _do_ anything weird last night did I?”

“Aside from flashing half the VIP crowd?”

“WHAT?!”

“I'm just fuckin’ with you,” Chloe laughed.

Victoria rolled her eyes and said, “Oh _Ha Ha…_ You're a fucking riot. _”_

“Couldn't resist. You were...friendly.”

Victoria stopped in her tracks, “How _'friendly’_?”

“Relax. Not 'lapdances and handjobs’ friendly. You just...gave me a hug, and apologized for existing.”

Surprisingly, Victoria didn't argue, or even disagree with the thought that she would do such a thing. She only gave a worried glance around, then continued towards the dorms.

“There are your drones,” Chloe said, alluding to Taylor and Courtney walking out of the dorm, while Justin waved her down from across the yard with his skateboard.

“Thanks… Chloe. See you later?” Victoria asked quietly. Almost a whisper. Like they were planning some secretive illicit black op of some kind.

“Probably.” She watched Victoria give the slightest smile and speed off to her friends.

Chloe made her way to Justin, hearing Victoria spit, “Where the fuck were you?!”

“Chloe! What's good?” Justin greeted, offering up the usual 'bro shake’ they shared with all their old skate crew.

“What are you still doing here? It's Sunday…”

It wasn't on purpose, but Chloe couldn't help spacing out on whatever Justin said. Something about Trevor, muffins, and Rachel’s mushrooms. Chloe was more interested in how her last few memories played out, and why she couldn't get them out of her head.

In the distance, Chloe could hear Victoria raising her voice at Taylor, saying, “Do you know how embarrassing it is to have **_her_** walk me out here?!”

_And I was just starting to kinda sorta like her…_

When their eyes met, Chloe's glare turned Victoria into a scared kitten. Jerking her head down and away, hiding her face behind her friends.

“Chloe…” Justin’s voice grabbed her attention.

“Huh?”

“You good?”

“Sorry. Just a little hungover.” She said, as she sat on a bench nearby.

“Oh. Yeah. You went in _hard_ last night.”

Chloe glanced over and noticed Victoria hungrily eying Taylor's legs.

_Ha! Knew it! Gaydar - 1. Closet - 0._

“You wanna come?” Justin asked, again breaking through Chloe's thought haze.

_Shit. Come to what?_

“No thanks. Just gonna chill with Max and Rachel.”

“Aiight’ then. See you round’, Chloe.” Justin walked off towards the dorms, giving Chloe a goodbye finger point.

Part of Chloe wanted to march over and take Victoria down a peg in front of her cronies. A dose of embarrassment might've been good for her. Another part just pitied her. Faking your way through life didn't sound very fulfilling.

“Yo, Chloe! My board!” Justin shouted in the distance, pointing to the forgotten skateboard leaning next to Chloe. “Toss it over!”

Without thinking, Chloe stood up, grabbed the board by its tail with both hands, and swung it forward over her head with all her might. Either she had some leftover beer muscles from the party, or she underestimated any possible momentum. The board’s nose drove into the ground, launching it back into the air, spinning and flipping. Then smacked straight down into one of several buckets of paint the groundskeeper set aside, sending a paint explosion raining against the wall, railing, and… Victoria.

“Ummm… oops?” Chloe winced.

“Are you… fucking… KIDDING me?! What… the fuck?!” Victoria yelped. She no longer saw the Chloe she’d drunkenly latched on to. Nor the Chloe that so readily lended her a hand. Only a worm that needed to be squashed.

“It’s uh… not that bad…” Chloe said, unconvincingly.

“This is... my favorite sweater.” Victoria turned and noticed Justin's incessant gawking. “Would you like some popcorn?” she sneered with a shaky voice.

He waited for Chloe's nod, then grabbed his paint covered skateboard and crept inside.

“Vic…” Taylor started.

“YOU TOO!”

“But…”

“Go!”

Her friends obeyed, hurrying inside like good little worker bees.

“Guess I'll just… head inside too.” Chloe tried to awkwardly squeak by. As if Victoria wouldn't notice if she took gentle enough steps.

“Seriously?”

“Look, I'm sorry about your sweater, okay? But hey, take a steak knife to it. Patches on one sleeve. Totally punk rock.”

“Do I _look_ 'punk rock’ to you?!”

“Whatever. I'm sure daddy can buy you a new one.” Chloe was _done._ Her headache was getting worse, and she couldn't see any of this helping, so she started into the dorms.

Victoria gritted her teeth and said, “They aren't _making_ any more of these. And where the fuck are _you_ going?!” she demanded, following Chloe inside.

“This whole bonding experience thing was fun and all, but if I don't find some _chill_ soon, you won't be the only one blowing chunks.” The shock of every step up the stairwell Chloe climbed, rattled her brain and shook her stomach.

“Aww, _poor_ _Chloe_ ,” Victoria mocked. “How do you think _I_ feel?!”

“Don't care.”

“Hey!” Victoria gripped Chloe's shoulder and jerked her around. “YOU fucking did this shit, remember?! You and your He-man bullshit.”

“And what? You gonna hit me?”

“I don't _have_ to hit people, Chloe. I can ruin your life with my fucking phone.”

“Again. What- Ever.” She wiggled her fingers at Victoria's face, and turned to walk off, only to have her wrist snatched and pulled.

“I'm _not_ done yet...”

“Tough shit! I fucking am!” Chloe pried her wrist from Victoria’s grip, and sped away, storming into Rachel's room, wildly slamming the door shut and leaning her shoulder blades into it with all her weight.

Normally the idea of Chloe running away from Victoria would be absurd to say the least. But Chloe didn't feel like punching a girl with a hangover, _with a hangover_. In fact she was so focused on protecting Victoria from herself, that she almost didn't notice Max and Rachel sitting on the floor, with Max frantically struggling her naked torso into a t-shirt.

 _KLAK KLAK KLAK KLAK!_ Four heavy slams pounded against the door. “CHLOE PRICE! OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR RIGHT NOW!!”

Rachel started, “Is that…”

“It’s just a sweater, Vicky!” Chloe yelled, still vigorously holding the door shut.

“I wouldn’t expect a fucking HEATHENOUS SKANK like _YOU_ to appreciate high fashion!” Victoria retorted.

Rachel cocked her eyebrows. “Are you running from… Victoria?”

Chloe raised her voice over the constant wailing on the door at her back, “Yes! It’s either that, or KNOCK HER ASS UNCONSCIOUS!”  

“FUCK! YOU!” Victoria seethed.

“Soooo, this is for _her_ sake?” Rachel asked.

“Yeah. And…” Chloe spoke quietly “it _was_ kinda my fault…”

“Chloe… are you… taking responsibility?” Max asked.

“What?! No!” Chloe snapped in an offended tone.

Max and Rachel locked eyes, apparently sharing a thought that Chloe wasn't privy to.

“I’m not leaving until you OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR!!” _KLAK KLAK KLAK!_

Rachel stared into Chloe, and spoke slowly, trying to articulate some underlying thought Chloe wasn't getting. “Chloe, can you think of any _other_ reason you’d be defending Victoria’s behavior?”

Chloe thought hard, glancing between the two girls eying her expectantly, looking to Max, then to Rachel, then back to Max, then back to Rachel, when it dawned on her. She was **_into_ ** Victoria.

“Oh…” she said, an admission to herself that Rachel’s implication was spot-on.

How the fuck could _they_ have known that before Chloe did? Did her eyes light up when they said ‘Victoria’? Was the simple act of not wanting to mulch someone's face a giveaway? Maybe it was, if that someone was Victoria. How long did they know? How long has it been true? Why the fuck is it _her?_

“Fuck!” Chloe snapped. Then a crazy idea came to mind. A way to rip off the 'I like you’ Band-Aid _and_ Victoria's ‘mask’ at the same time. Or at least the ‘not into girls’ part of Victoria's mask.

Chloe took a deep breath, settling her nerves, and gave a sly smirk. Then she spun around, whipped the door open, and yanked Victoria into a deep kiss.

The moment their lips touched, Chloe's breath hitched and her senses went wild. Victoria even kissed back, sharing the lingering mint flavor of her mouthwash, until she jerked away. Victoria _was_ raring back to slap Chloe across the face, but instead she pressed her fingers to her own lips, feeling Chloe’s absence while a few rogue tears ran down her cheeks. She slowly backed away, the fear in her eyes leaving a heavy dent in Chloe's heart. Then sped off down the hall towards her room.

Chloe turned to her friends and found Max having trouble deciding on an emotion, but Rachel wore a disappointed scowl, not needing a voice to tell the punk how stupid that was.

“Oh come on… don’t look at me like that.”

Rachel slapped her hands to her knees and said, “Chloe, what did you think was gonna happen?!”

“That… she’d finally admit that’s what she wanted?”

“Really? Was it that easy for _you_?!”

“Mostly. Maybe not.” Chloe sighed. “I don’t know.” A pair of panties on the floor, definitely Max’s, caught Chloe’s notice. She briefly felt the urge to take the low hanging fruit and tease the girl, but settled on a sad half smile, shut the door, and sat into Rachel’s loveseat, pulling off her beanie.

Rachel hopped up and joined Chloe on the sofa. “Well… it was better than punching her.”

“Was it?” Chloe asked. “Maybe I should’ve let her keep living her nice little happy hetero lie.”

“She’d figure it out eventually. Probably not in such a dramatic way, but still.”

“Maybe.”

Max sat down into Rachel’s lap, the blonde’s arms wrapping around her waist. “You should probably just go talk to her.”

“Mighty Max,” Chloe playfully shoved the girls arm. “You couldn’t stop glowing right now if your life depended on it.”

“She’s right,” Rachel laughed, squeezing Max as if she were a teddy bear, “but don’t change the subject.”

“What am I supposed to say? ‘Sorry I stuck my tongue down your throat, and destroyed any understanding you had of yourself.’ She looked… terrified.”

“It’d be better than nothing.” Rachel said, wearing Chloe down with the pleading stare on her face.

“Fuuuuck. Fine.” Chloe stood up, slipped her beanie back on, and headed towards the door. “Before I go though…” she looked to a quilt laid out on the carpet, then shot a smirk at the duo, “...did you seriously fuck on the _floor_? The bed’s _right there,_ ” she pointed.

“Chloe…” Rachel rolled her eyes.

“It just seems uncomfortable. And… you know… less clean.”

“We did, Chloe,” Max said without so much as flinching, keeping a hint of a smile. “The bed seemed a lot further away in the moment.”

Rachel laughed and rested her head on Max’s back. “What she said.”

_What the fuck? Who are these robots, and where are they hiding Max?_

If there's one thing Chloe felt confident in, it was her ability to make Max blush at will. To get no reaction at all left her staring like a deer caught in headlights.

“O-- Okay…” Chloe stammered. “I’m gonna go now.” She walked through the door, forgetting to close it, and started down the hallway, away from Victoria’s room.

“Wrong way, Chloe!” she heard Max shout.

“Right! Thanks…” Chloe yelled, correcting her course.

_Okay, Chloe. Time to apologize. To Victoria. What the fuck am I thinking?_


	2. Guilty Pleasure

Chloe stalled outside Victoria's room for so long, she was practically camping. She paced. And shuffled. And rubbed her neck. Until finally she raised her arm, and turned what was about to be her usual heavy-handed knock into three gentle taps. _Tak Tak Tak_

“Vic...toria? It’s Chloe.”

“Go away,” said a small, defeated voice from inside.

“I'm just-- just trying to apologize.”

“Great. I forgive you. Now go away please,” Victoria sped, clearly not in the mood for conversation.

Chloe sighed and rested her palm on the cold wood of the door, and softly said, “Okay…” She took a few hesitant steps back, and was ready to walk off when the door cracked open, and Victoria's head poked out.

“Wait…” Victoria could only glance in Chloe's direction. Never actually make eye contact, or even look at Chloe's face. She just stepped aside and pushed the door open as an invitation.

Once inside, Chloe took stock of her surroundings. Mainly looking for things she could be stabbed with. The decor was about what Chloe anticipated. Expensive artsy posh shit. All except for one thing. An Agent Bluberry anime figurine on a corner shelf. Blue hair. Blue skin. Holding a gun up in a badass secret agent pose. Chloe had never seen the series herself, but she knew enough about it to know that most people in Victoria's circle, would mock her viciously for owning such a thing.

“Cool figurine,” Chloe said.

If Victoria heard her at all, she didn't show any signs. She only walked by, and slumped onto the couch, still actively avoiding eye contact. Chloe's mind was reaching in a hundred different directions trying to find the right thing to say. But when it failed to, she sat down next to Victoria, hoping to be given _something_ to react to.

Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes like hours. Chloe had no idea how long the two sat in silence before she felt brave enough to say, “Vic...toria…”

“You can call me… whatever, Chloe.”

“Well, what do you prefer?”

“Taylor calls me Vic, usually.”

“I'm not Taylor.”

“No. You're not.”

“Look. I-- It's okay to be-- if you're into…”

“I'm not a fucking homophobe, Chloe.” She finally looked to the punk, flashing an annoyed glare before turning her eyes back to the floor.

“Okay. Your parents then?”

“No… I just-- Since I was little, I've always had this idea of how things should go. The perfect plan. The schools I'll go to. Where I'll have my work shown. The kind of guy I'll…” she paused, hoping Chloe could fill in the blanks. “…Kids…”

“Oh.”

“It... _can't_ be for nothing.” The panic in Victoria's tone started to rise. “All the posturing. It's-- Lying is the only way _I_ can get _anything._ And If I don't even know what I want…”

“That's bullshit, Vicky.”

“What the fuck do _you_ know?!”

“I know the front you keep putting up is clearly not doing it for you.”

Victoria's hand started to tremble and her breathing quickened. She jumped up and sped to the corner of her room. “Get out,” she said.

Chloe stood up, unsure whether to leave or try to be a comfort somehow. “Vic…”

“Get out!”

Chloe walked to the door and stepped outside, before turning around to say, “You can't bury this forever.”

Victoria clutched Agent Bluberry, and hurled the figurine at Chloe, so hard she nearly lost her balance. Chloe moved to the side, barely dodging it, and heard the hard plastic shatter against the wall behind her. A breeze from the door slamming in Chloe's face sent a chill over her. And the slam was so loud, it shot a horrible popping sensation through her ears.

It went even worse than Chloe expected. She'd vastly underestimated Victoria's propensity for outbursts. Maybe it was a bad idea to begin with. Add hangovers to already high running emotions, and it seems an obvious recipe for… exactly _this._

Chloe came out of her near catatonic gaze at Victoria's door to notice a small hand had been sitting on her shoulder.

“Chloe…” Max comforted.

Chloe glanced to the girl, and offered a quick grin that was more of a ‘Thanks for giving a shit’ than it was a smile. “I’m fine,” Chloe lied. It wasn’t a lie she expected Max to believe, she was only hoping to stave off any more sympathy, or pity, or whatever _that look_ was.

She turned and eyed Victoria’s broken figurine. Victoria might have thrown it, but Chloe couldn't help but feel responsible. She was the one that pushed. It might have been the only _real_ piece of herself Victoria was brave enough to keep around. A single guilty pleasure for someone that wasn’t supposed to have _any._

Chloe slowly walked over and picked up a few pieces of Agent Bluberry, trying in vain to reassemble her. “Fuck!” she erupted, frustratedly dropping to a knee and snatching up the remaining pieces.

“Come on, Chloe,” Max motioned to her room, “We’ll find a bag.”

She stepped inside, walking passed Rachel, and held the bits of the broken figurine in her shirt tail, until Max came back with a plastic shopping bag, and helped dump the remains inside.

“Chlo,” Rachel began. “You wanna talk…”

“No,” Chloe snapped, immediately regretting her tone. “Sorry, just… not now.”

Her day might have gone to shit, but the last thing Chloe wanted was bring her friends down. They’d done nothing but be there for her, they should know she’d do the same. “I know I’ve been fuckin’ around a little, but I am actually happy for…” she took a moment to consider her word choice, “...whatever it is you two have together…”

Max gave a heartfelt smile and said, “Thanks… Chloe. That means a lot. Really. And, _we_ don’t really know what this is either, yet,” Max admitted shyly.

A tinge of worry came to Chloe’s face. “Just… make sure to keep some Chloe-time in mind.”

Max rolled her eyes, then grabbed Rachel’s hand and swung her behind the punk, enveloping Chloe in a best friend hug-sandwich, prompting smiles all around, “It’s _always_ ‘Chloe-time’, you dork.”

“Alright, alright,” Chloe stepped out of the duo’s embrace, “If I cry, we’re throwin’ down, Caulfield.”

“Pffft… like you could take me with Rachel on my side.”

“Please…” Chloe sassed. “Chlos before hoes. Right Rach?”

Rachel backed away, waving her hands. “Don’t look at _me_! I'm totally neutral,” she smirked, crossing her arms.

_Buzz Buzzz_

Max checked her vibrating smartphone. “Rachel…” she sent a playfully stern stare towards the blonde, “would you happen to know why Victoria is named ‘Vic- _bore-_ ia’ in my phone now?”

Rachel let out a tiny giggle before noticing Chloe's stiff expression. “Sorry.”

“Chloe…” Max held her phone out.

The punk sighed and plucked the device from Max's hand as it vibrated a second time.

 

**Vic-bore-ia: If she's still here could you ask her to come back**

**Vic-bore-ia: Please**

 

“You going?” Max asked, taking back her phone.

“I guess,” Chloe clutched the bag holding what was left of Agent Bluberry. “Any advice?”

“Be yourself?” Max shrugged.

“Yeah. That worked out great last time.”

Rachel chimed in, “Honesty, Chloe. Without the insults. I'm guessing she doesn't get a lot of it.”

Max added, “Who better to give it to her than Chloe-saurus Rex?”

 _Fucking what? And she calls_ **_me_ ** _a dork?_

“...” Chloe might as well have tried to glare a hole through Max's head. “That is _NOT_ becoming a thing.”

“Roar,” Rachel teased, clawing at the air with pretend T-Rex hands.

Chloe lightly swatted Max's shoulder, and eased backwards to the door, “I'm leaving _now,_ before it sticks.” She offered both girls a smile before stepping into the hallway. “Later.”

The short distance to Victoria's room seemed like miles. Was it even smart to go back? It was starting to feel like looking for different ways to poke the same bear. A bear that almost took her head off last time she tried to make nice.

She took a deep breath, and let out a long nervous exhale. Then tapped her knuckles against the door, and waited, hoping for a better outcome. The door flew open, and a hand lunged out, wrapping around her wrist, and jerked her inside.

Chloe reeled from the echo of the door being slammed. “Jesus, Vicky. What...” and before she could finish, Victoria's lips were pressed against hers. She dropped the bag she was holding, and moved her hands to the blonde’s waist. Despite an abrupt start, Victoria's kisses were slow and gentle, dragging out every touch, savoring every second. Sharing the taste and feel of… strawberry lip gloss.

With a light push against Victoria's collar bone, Chloe backed away. “Damn, Vic,” she laughed. “Not that I'm complaining, but really, what's going on in that head of yours?”

Victoria gave Chloe an apologetic smile and said, “Everything. All at once.”

She'd used their short time apart to clean up a little. Grabbed a fresh t-shirt. Wiped off a bit of rogue makeup. Applied the lip gloss Chloe was still tasting. And apparently changed her mood just as fast.

“That… sounds painful,” Chloe joked. “Just to be straight with you, so to speak, I'm pretty sure we made out last night.”

“What? Pretty sure?”

“I don't actually remember it. But this morning, my lips were all slick and shit. And, I could taste strawberry…”

“Oh. Well… it only took three tries to make it all the way consensual.”

“Oh yeah? I don't remember giving you the go ahead,” Chloe teased.

“I guess we're even, then. What's in the bag?”

“It's-- I felt bad leaving Bluberry in pieces. I was… gonna try and glue her back together.”

Victoria gave another smile, and took a seat on her couch, patting a spot for Chloe to follow suit.

“Really though,” Chloe started, sitting next to the girl. “It’d be nice to know how you went from chucking a figurine at my head, to that lip-lock just now. It's been like… ten minutes.”

“I didn't chuck her _at_ you.”

“Uhh… I distinctly remember having to dive out of the way.”

“I know. Sorry. I… looked at her, and she reminded me of… you.”

“Because of my hair?”

“Yeah. Except, she's blue all over. So I wanted her out of my room.”

“And I was in the way. Still…”

Victoria braced and took a heavy sigh. “When I asked you to walk with me earlier, it wasn't _just_ because I was scared of falling or something.”

“I figured. That's why I kissed you. I thought it would… calm things down.”

“It didn't.”

“Understatement,” Chloe added.

“I didn't _know,_ not for sure, until right then. And… I panicked. Like a dam broke. Like-- How many things am I lying to myself about? Having you nearby is such a blatant reminder, but two seconds after you left-- Pretending I don’t want you here feels like the _biggest_ lie.”

“So, you _like_ me,” Chloe grinned.

“What, are we in grade school?” Victoria smirked back. “Obviously. You're… _real._ ”

“So they tell me.”

“I've always been jealous of that.”

“It's really not that hard,” Chloe said, putting her hand on Victoria's back. “Just accept that people are shit, then do whatever you want.”

“Wow. Insightful. I can't do that, Chloe.”

“Why?”

“The art world is all ass-kissing and back stabbing. And I have to be the best at it with the highest of high society contacts if I wanna get anywhere.”

“Well… Max…”

“I'm _not_ Max!” Victoria shouted.

After a few moments of uncomfortable glances and silence, Chloe lifted Victoria's chin, staring into her eyes, and said, “You don't need to be.”

Arms wrapped around Chloe's torso with a gentle squeeze, pulling her closer as Victoria’s head nestled into her shoulder.

“You _have_ to shower,” Victoria added flatly. “Not now though. Stay.”

The warmth of Victoria made the remnants of Chloe's hangover easier to bear. Weighing down her eyelids, and cutting loose the strings tying her to the waking world.

 

__________

 

“Chloe,” a voice stirred Chloe from her sleep. Her full length now stretched along the couch.

Several blinks, clearing the blur from her eyes, brought focus to a well dressed Victoria. A new sweater. Hair and makeup back to its usual perfection.

“Chloe. You can stay here and sleep if you want, but it’s four o’clock and I have plans with T.”

“Four? Shit,” she grumbled, and sat up rubbing her eyes.

“Yeah. I didn’t want to wake you, but I thought it’d be worse to just leave.”

“You look great.”

“I know,” she said without any hint of gratitude, only acknowledging a fact.

“No. I mean… well, yeah. But, you’re all peppy and shit. This morning you were dry heaving into a trash can.”

“Oh.” Victoria reached into a dresser drawer, and pulled out a small bottle, tossing it to Chloe.

“Caffeine pills?”

“Whatever works,” Victoria shrugged. “I’d spring for something stronger, but the less time I spend near creepy drug dealer RV’s, the better.”

“So,” Chloe started.

“So.”

“You wanna… do something sometime?”

“I’d… love to Chloe,” she said nervously.

“I sense a 'but’ coming,” Chloe waited.

“But, I don’t think T and Courtney and some of the others will… understand.”

“So I’m a dirty secret, and we’re not even dating yet. Got it.”

“Chloe…” Victoria pleaded.

The more Chloe thought about it, the less she understood her attraction to Victoria. She might have been hot, but they had _nothing_ in common. She was bitchy. Snobby. Cold. And…

Scared.

Misunderstood.

Likely saddled with expectations she never asked for.

_Shit, Chloe. She's not a hurt puppy._

Victoria took a seat next to the punk. “I don't wanna hide you, Chloe,” she said.

“No? What was it you said to Taylor this morning? And I quote, 'Do you know how embarrassing it is to have **_her_ ** walk me out here?’” Chloe said, not caring to hide the bitterness in her voice.

“I know. I'm sorry.” Victoria gave Chloe an unwaveringly honest, remorseful gaze. “I just want a chance to tell the people who matter, _before_ they see us together.”

It was a bigger response than Chloe had any reason to expect. It actually felt genuine. It felt _real._

“Okay,” Chloe relented.

The two shared a few warm looks and smiles before Victoria added, “Oh umm, your phone's been going crazy.”

“Probably Max.”

“Right.” Victoria stood up, then leaned over and gave Chloe a chaste kiss on the cheek. “It's been… eventful. I’ll see you?”

Chloe nodded with a grin.

“Ta ta.” Victoria waved and stepped outside, trusting Chloe enough to stay in her room without her.

“Yeah. _Ta ta,_ ” Chloe playfully mocked to herself, pulling her phone out, and scanning the missed texts.

 

**Max: How'd it go?**

**Max: Chloe**

**Max: ^^^**

**Max: ^^^^!!**

 

**Rachel: pls text max back. she's starting to pace**

**Rachel: she tried to drown lisa 3 different times since that last text**

**Rachel: i saved her though**

**Rachel: ok for real ur ok right?**

 

Chloe typed…

 

**Chloe: it went pretty good actually**

**Max: :D**

**Chloe: you can have that one**

**Max: :D!**

**Chloe: i gave you an inch and you took a mile**

 

**Rachel: bring fritos**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read the last work in this series, you've probably noticed I'm showing some of the same scenes, just from Chloe's perspective. It was a better idea in my head. We're done with it. You won't have to read the same shit again.


End file.
